Finding God's Rhythm This Summer

There is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under the heavens.
 Ecclesiastes 3:1

​Summer has a way of arriving with expectations.

We're told it should be the season of vacations, sunshine, laughter, and carefree afternoons. Social 

Kierstie Renninger

media is filled with camping trips, lake days, backyard barbecues, and smiling family photos. It's easy to believe that everyone else is living the "perfect summer."

But the truth is, summer isn't the same for everyone.

For some, it's a welcome breath of fresh air. The pace slows. The evenings stretch a little longer. There is time to hike a favorite trail, watch the sunset over Lake Coeur d'Alene, listen to birds sing with a morning cup of coffee, or simply enjoy the incredible beauty God has woven into North Idaho.

For others, summer can feel surprisingly lonely.

The routines that once anchored the week disappear. School is out. Friends travel. Schedules become unpredictable. Kids miss classmates. Adults miss the steady rhythm of work or regular gatherings. Some carry grief that feels especially noticeable during seasons when everyone else seems to be celebrating.

Wherever you find yourself this summer, God meets you there.

One of the beautiful things about Scripture is that it never asks us to pretend. God welcomes our joy, our exhaustion, our gratitude, our uncertainty, and everything in between. Every season has gifts. Every season has challenges. And through every season, God faithfully walks beside us.

That's why community matters so deeply.

At First Pres, our LOVE1st mission reminds us that we love because God first loves us. God's love isn't something we earn or manufacture. We receive it first—and then it overflows into the way we care for one another. We were never meant to navigate life's seasons alone. Whether your summer feels full or empty, exciting or ordinary, there is always room at God's table and within this community.

As summer continues, consider creating a few intentional rhythms that help you notice God's presence and stay connected with others. Rhythms don't have to be complicated. Often, it's the small, repeated practices that quietly shape our hearts.

Your At-Home Summer Rhythm Challenge.

Choose three rhythms to practice for the remainder of the summer. 

Ask yourself: What helps me experience God's love? What helps me share that love with others?

Some ideas include:

• Join us for our next Summer Worship Night on Wednesday, July 15. Come enjoy the pool beginning at 4:00 p.m., share dinner at 5:00 p.m., and worship together surrounded by God's beautiful creation.
• Take an evening walk each week without headphones. Notice what God has created, reflect on your day, and spend time in prayer and praise.
• Start a weekly backyard picnic or simple dessert night with your family, neighbors, or friends.
• Invite someone who may be feeling lonely to coffee, lunch, or a walk.
• Read one Psalm outside each week and wonder together what it reveals about God.
• Keep a simple gratitude journal, writing down three gifts from God each day.

These aren't tasks to complete perfectly. They're invitations to slow down, notice God's grace, and remember that love grows through intentional presence.

This summer, may we make room for both celebration and honesty. May we notice God's fingerprints in mountain views, conversations around the dinner table, laughter with children, quiet moments of prayer, and even the places where we long for deeper connection.

Whatever this season holds for you, know this: you do not walk it alone.
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​Summer Rhythm Breath Prayer
Breathe in: I’m loved by You.
Breathe out: Help me live Your love.

May each breath remind us that we are deeply loved by God—and because of that love, we are free to love one another.

In His Name, Kierstie